Can't Take My Eyes off You
by AngelQueen87
Summary: Stydia/Future Fic/Minor Scira: It's always been there simmering underneath the surface, but Lydia's ignored it for years. But then after Stiles practically invites himself to move in with her and they help plan Scott and Kira's upcoming nuptials, she's just now realizing how much she's fallen in love with him. X-Posted on Ao3.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Just a short Stydia fic. Don't know how long it'll be but we'll see :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf.**

* * *

 **Can't Take My Eyes off You**

 **Chapter One**

A wide grin spreads across Lydia's face. She squeals and claps her hands before she and Malia launch themselves at Kira and wrap her in a tight hug, essentially trapping her between them.

"Congratulations!" Malia exclaims, squeezing Kira tight around the waist. Lydia sees the kitsune wince and catches her eye. They share a smile and hug each other just a little tighter.

Lydia shifts until her lips are next to Kira's ear. "I'm happy for you guys," she whispers softly, just loud enough for her to hear.

The three women pull apart and Malia immediately launches herself at Scott, wrapping him in a suffocating but loving hug, and essentially ending whatever conversation he was having with Stiles, Liam, Mason, Isaac, and Derek. Kira takes Lydia's hand and pulls her toward the other end of the living room of the small apartment she shared with Scott until they're sitting on the sofa.

"Will you be my maid of honor?" Kira asks. "You're my best friend in the entire world, Lydia, and it would mean so much to me."

Tears well in her eyes and she wills them not to fall. She had always imagined someone else to ask her that question. "Only if you tell me how Scott proposed," Lydia bargains with a bright smile, dragging the back of her underneath her eye to wipe away the few tears that had fallen. "Don't leave anything out – I want all the details."

Kira blushes pink and squirms under her green gaze. "Um, well, he didn't technically propose," she starts.

Lydia frowns in confusion and raises a single perfectly arched brow at her friend. "Explain."

"Scott just sort of _blurted_ it out while we were out at dinner last week," Kira tells her and Lydia can actually see the heart eyes as she watches her look at Scott. "One minute we were talking about what we should get everyone for Christmas and the next he's blurting out 'Marry me'. I literally just stared at him in shock and then he's pulling out the most beautiful ring I've ever seen, saying that he wasn't going to propose until New Year's and that it had just slipped out. Then he says that I don't have to give him an answer yet, but I say yes and he kept talking until he realized what I'd said." Kira pauses and smiles prettily at Lydia like the love-struck fool that she is. "It was awkward but perfect for us."

"Perfect," she agrees with a grin, remembering the stories from high school about their first kiss and the first time he had told her he loved her. "And it's about damn time he proposed. He made me and Stiles go ring shopping with him last spring."

A coy look suddenly forms on her friend's face. "Speaking of Stiles," she says. "I saw that you guys came together. Anything I should know…?"

Lydia rolls her eyes, lips twitching to fight a smile, and follows Kira's gaze. Stiles was standing beside Scott, one arm slung around their alpha's shoulders, a wide grin that lit up his whiskey eyes spread across his face. "Definitely not. There was a string of break-ins around my apartment building and he showed up on my doorstep with a bag full of clothes and that stupid bat of his. He's basically been living at my apartment for the past two weeks and we thought it was stupid to drive separately when we were both going to the same place." Stiles catches her watching him and shoots her a questioning look that she answers with a shake of her head and a small smile to reassure him. He studies her a beat longer before grinning and focusing back on whatever Liam is saying. Lydia turns back to Kira only to find her slightly scrutinizing her with a small smile. "What?" she asks.

"You _like_ him," she says, watching her.

"I _don't_ ," she denies with a shake of her head. _But why do I feel like I just lied?_

Kira reaches over and squeezes her hand. "I think you always have, Lydia," she whispers softly before rising and pulling Lydia up with her. "Come on, I need help getting dinner on the table. I've got a pack of literal wolves and a coyote to feed."

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 **Reviews literally feed my soul and help motivate me to write faster ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites, guys! I'm glad you like it so far.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf.**

* * *

 **Can't Take My Eyes off You**

 **Chapter Two**

Lydia watches from her breakfast bar as Stiles moves around her kitchen with practiced ease as he makes them dinner, occasionally consulting the yellowed and frayed pages of the cookbook he had brought with him. He's facing away from her and she can't help but trace the hard lines of his broad shoulders and back all the way to the curve of his ass. Her gaze moves up to appreciate the muscles of his arms exposed by the short sleeved t-shirt he wore and her heart beats a little harder in her chest as he inadvertently flexes to grab the spoon from where it sits on the counter next to him.

After that night at Scott and Kira's house almost two weeks ago, she had spent restless nights unable to sleep, Kira's words plaguing her thoughts as she listened to Stiles' even breaths filter through her open bedroom door from where he slept on her couch. A part of her vehemently denied the thought of her liking Stiles but another told her that she did and was too scared to admit it to herself.

She drags her gaze away from him to look out the window, watching the rain pellet the glass relentlessly and soak Beacon Hills. Sometimes she wonders why she even came back after college. The town was full of horrors and certain death at every corner and once one problem was dealt with another would inevitably appear sooner than later. But then she remembers that Beacon Hills was home and no matter how bad things got they always got better as long as she had her pack – _her family_ – by her side.

"Lydia!"

She blinks and tears her gaze away from the window. Stiles was standing beside her stool, practically invading her personal space as he towered over her. "Lydia," he repeats, taking her cool hand in one of his warm ones as the other reaches up to tilt her head so that he could meet her gaze. "Are you okay?"

Mutely, she nods as his hand moves to cup her face in his palm. "I'm fine," she finally tells him once she's able to find her voice.

"Are you sure?" he asks, his thumb gently sweeping against her cheek in a soothing manner.

Lydia rolls her eyes at him and nods as she tightens her grip around his hand. "I'm sure, Stiles. And before you ask, I wasn't having a banshee episode. I was just thinking."

Stiles pulls away and sits on the stool beside her. "About what?"

"About how you should have left last week when your dad told us that they'd caught the guy." She raises a brow at him in challenge with a smirk.

Amber eyes narrow at her. "I would have if _somebody_ didn't wander out of her apartment in the middle of the _night_ barefoot and dressed in nothing but her short little nightie to find a _dead body_!" he quickly shoots back, glaring at her.

She glares back at him and tightly crosses her arms. "We've had this conversation _hundreds_ of times, Stiles! Every time I find a body like that, you don't need to practically move in with me afterwards. I don't always have control over this, but I can take care of myself."

Stiles frowns at her, his lips forming a perfect pout and Lydia's mind starts to drift and wander as she imagines herself kissing him. She quickly pushes the sudden fantasy away as she notices his mouth moving as he spoke. "I know that, Lydia, but that doesn't mean I don't worry about you. If something were to happen to you…" he trails off and they both know what he's thinking.

 _I would literally go out of my freaking mind._

Lydia sighs, the anger seeping right out of her, and reaches out to take his much larger hand in both of hers. She brings it to her chest and presses his palm against her heart. It's beating so erratically fast she's sure he can feel it and she should be embarrassed but she isn't. He's seen her at her worst and when's she's been at her lowest and she him. There were few secrets between them these days and very little to be embarrassed about.

"Do you feel that?" she asks, looking up to meet his intense gaze. He nods mutely. "As long as it's beating, I'm alive and moderately okay, considering the town we live in. As long as you can feel my heart beating, Stiles, I'm okay." She watches him watch her and she sees something that she doesn't understand flicker in his amber eyes before disappearing.

He nods again and gathers her into his arms. Stiles squeezes her tight against his chest and Lydia melts into his touch. "Okay," he breathes into her ear, tickling the sensitive skin and sending a shiver down her spine. "Okay," he repeats and then he presses a kiss against the crown of her head, whispering something that she doesn't catch, before pulling away.

"But don't think for a second that I'm going anywhere until we've dealt with this shit," he throws over his shoulder as he walks back into the kitchen and just like that they're back to normal.

She rolls her eyes at his back and flips her hair over her shoulder. "Fine," she snaps back, gathering up her laptop and stack of bridal magazines. "Call me when dinner's ready, I'll be in my room."

"'Kay." He sends her a little crooked smile at her over his shoulder that makes her heart beat just a little faster and a blush to redden her face that she's quick to hide behind her long hair.

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 **Review! Review!** **Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thank you for all of the continued support, guys, you don't know how much it means to me :D**

 **Here's an early Christmas present!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf.**

* * *

 **Can't Take My Eyes off You**

 **Chapter Three**

It's Christmas and everyone is crammed into Melissa's small living room all at the same time.

Lydia's wedged between Liam with the arm of the couch on her other side where Stiles is perched near her shoulder. They had decided to do Secret Santa this year at some point between now and when Kira and Scott announced their engagement. Liam had just given his gift to Scott—it was a mug that said _World's Greatest Alpha_ on the front and it was no surprise that their alpha loved it.

Everyone had already received his or her gifts but her. She had drawn Derek's name and gave him a grooming kit since it seemed that he took apparent pride in keeping his beard neat and trimmed at all times. Scott had given Isaac a basketful of multicolored, multi-patterned scarves with a few balls of yarn and some knitting needles while Kira gave Stiles a new metal baseball bat after losing his last one in the preserve when he went looking for her that night. Derek gave Liam some video game he had kept dropping hints about the moment they had drawn names and Isaac gave Mason a stack of books he had picked up on his trip to France all those years ago about the supernatural. Mason had drawn Malia's name and gave her a T-shirt that read "She-Coyote" that she immediately put on before giving Kira a box set of comic books.

The only person not to give a gift was Stiles.

Everyone stared expectantly at them, their curious, knowing gazes lingering more on Stiles than they did on her, though Kira did shoot her an excited look of her own.

He glanced shyly at her out of the corner of his eye with a small grin before leaning down and picking up the small flat package from underneath the Christmas tree. "Merry Christmas, Lydia," he murmurs softly as he hands her the package.

Lydia runs her fingers over the bright red wrapping paper before lifting the lid. A startled gasp escapes her parted lips and shaky fingers gently ghost over the surface of the picture frame.

Angry hisses erupt around her as the weres in the room attempt to keep from yelling at Stiles for upsetting her, for causing the sadness that she's sure they can smell. But she ignores them all and instead looks up at Stiles.

"When we were looking through your old photo albums, I noticed that you didn't have that one," he answers her questioning look, nodding toward the frame in her hands. Warm whiskey eyes nervously dart across her face and Lydia smiles softly at him and she can practically see the relief seep into him as the stiff set of his shoulders melts away.

"Thank you," she tells him, her voice just above a whisper. "I love it, Stiles."

A bashful smile pulls at his mouth and he drags nervous fingers through his hair until it sticks up off his head in awkward angles. "You're welcome, Lydia."

"What did you get, Lydia?" Scott asks and she holds up the frame for him to see. The moment he sees it, a sad smile curves at his mouth. Set in a wrought iron frame is a picture of teenage Lydia standing next to Allison the night of the winter formal dance, arms wrapped around each other and smiling wide for the camera. It's bittersweet to see on oh-so-many levels but she loves it nonetheless.

The mood in the room turns somber once everyone sees the picture and, almost as if she could sense it, Melissa pops her head into the living room and declares dinner to be ready. Immediately everyone jumps up and heads to the table, but Lydia lingers behind. She stands and gently places the frame on the coffee table with the other gifts and stares at Allison.

Without her permission, a tear rolls down her cheek and before she can wipe it away, a thumb reaches out from beside her and does it for her. Lydia smiles gratefully up at Stiles as his hand travels down her arm to capture hers and squeezes gently. She squeezes back and rests her head on his shoulder as her gaze drifts back to the photo.

"I miss her," she murmurs softly.

"Me too," he whispers back.

They stand there a beat longer before she lets Stiles pull her along toward the dining room. Just as they're about to step into the room where the others are, Stiles stops abruptly at the threshold and Lydia stumbles into him, teetering on her red high heels. His grip immediately tightens and prevents her from falling, but it's not enough to wash away her annoyance.

"Stiles…" she growls, but he ignores her and continues to stare above his head. She's suddenly aware of the silence at the table and turns to meet the excited stares of her friends and family. Confused and slightly unnerved, she tips her head back to follow Stiles' gaze and then she understands.

Mistletoe.

Despite their previous bad experiences with the plant, it was still a holiday tradition and they weren't going to let the supernatural take another shred of normalcy away from them.

But that didn't mean that Lydia wanted to be caught underneath it at that very moment.

Stiles sharply looks away from the offending plant to meet her gaze and she sees panic swirling in his amber eyes. "I swear I didn't plan this!" he blurts out and she nods.

"I know," she tells him, hyperaware of the violent blush overtaking her face as she is assaulted by the image of Stiles kissing her and the sudden undeniable desire that she wants him to. And her face turns impossibly redder as she realizes that she's wanted to kiss him again for a very long time.

The tension grows between them and she sees what she knows to be desire darken in his eyes as he stares at her and a part of her just wants to throw herself into his arms. She thinks she is going to have to do just that, but someone suddenly shouts out, "Kiss her already!" and Stiles snaps out of his panicked stupor.

His hands move to grip her waist and he tugs her closer until she all but stumbles into his chest, hands flying up to steady herself on his shoulders. Lydia stares up at him and their eyes meet, bright green to whiskey brown, and the next thing she knows he's cupping her face in his big hands. She feels safe for the first time in a very long time in his grasp and she revels in the feeling, never wanting it to end.

And then suddenly his mouth is on hers and she loses herself in the brief kiss. She flashes back to high school to the one kiss they shared before and the feeling she felt then washes over her body and leaves her full of wonderment when they pull apart.

It's been years since she has felt this way after a kiss.

 _I've missed that feeling,_ she thinks as Stiles watches her, searching her eyes. She smiles shyly and he must find whatever he's looking for because he grins back, hands sliding back to her waist.

His hand slips around to the small of her back and she lets him guide her to the table as their friends and family cheer at them. They sit and for the duration of dinner, Lydia is hyper aware of how close Stiles sits next to her.

* * *

 **Reviews literally feed the muse and help make me write faster (especially since I'm on break from school now).**

 **And don't forget that this is crossposted over on Archive of Our Own.**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Thanks for all of the lovely reviews and continued support from the last chapter! I'm so glad you guys are loving this story :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf.**

* * *

 **Can't Take My Eyes off You**

 **Chapter Four**

"Stiles!" she yells from the front hall as she checked her lipstick one last time in the mirror. "Hurry up or we're going to be late!"

He walks around the corner a second later, arms weighed down with covered dishes of food. "I think I got carried away," Stiles tells her sheepishly.

"You think?" she says, eyeing the four large containers of food he spent most of the morning and afternoon cooking. Her gaze travels up and down his body and she takes a moment to appreciate the sight of him in a suit. She especially likes how broad his shoulders look and her mind wanders to how she had gripped them when they kissed at Christmas. Not letting herself get distracted yet again, she tears her gaze from his shoulders only to land on his sloppily tied tie. "Are you ready?" she asks as she rights it, letting her hands linger on his shoulders when she finishes.

Stiles nods. "Yeah, but can you grab my keys?"

Lydia pulls them off the hook beside her own, scoops up the cheesecake she made, and opens the door. She quickly locks her apartment door once they step out into the hall and they make the trek out of her building to his jeep where it's parked on the street. Within minutes they're on the road to Derek's loft since it's his turn to host the New Year's Eve party.

Once they get there, Lydia knocks on the door. They hear a shout from within and seconds later it slides open to reveal Isaac on the other side with an annoyed look on his face that clears once his gaze landed on the food in their arms. "Finally!" he moans, taking one of the dishes from Stiles. "I'm _starving_. All Derek made was a shitty cheese and cracker platter." Isaac turns, leaving them in the doorway.

Stiles and Lydia share a look before closing the door and following Isaac toward the back of the loft where a table has been set up. Various bottles of wine and liquors rest on the table next to the decidedly sad-looking cheese and cracker platter Isaac mentioned along with a large bowl of grapes. Lydia immediately deposits her cheesecake on the table before helping Stiles with his food.

By the time they finish, Scott and Kira had arrived with Liam and Mason soon after them. Malia wanders downstairs some time later from the kitchen with a stack of plates and napkins that she adds to the table. As the night progresses more people arrive and Lydia slowly circles the room, making sure to talk to every familiar face she comes across.

The hours pass quickly and Lydia finds herself standing beside Stiles again an hour before midnight. He hands her the half-filled glass of red wine he's holding in one hand while keeping the glass of whiskey for himself. She raises a brow at him in question and he rests his hand against the small of her back, nodding toward Scott and Kira where they stand in the center of Derek's loft. "They're getting ready to make a toast and announce their engagement," he murmurs into her ear so she can hear him above the music.

"Oh," she coos, watching Kira lean up and whisper something into Scott's ear that makes him laugh before he steps up onto the coffee table and helps her stand beside him.

Someone turns down the music and it takes a couple of minutes before it's silent. "First off, I'd like to thank our gracious host for holding the party this year," Scott starts. "I know you didn't want to do it, Derek, so thank you for letting us into your home and celebrating the coming of the New Year with you. Second, Kira and I have an announcement to make." He shares a grin with her. "We're engaged! She's agreed to be my wife!"

Cheers erupt around them and the pair shares a sweet kiss. Kira presses a kiss to Scott's cheek before turning back to everyone. "And we'd like to make a toast." She lifts her glass and waits for everyone else to do the same. "May the New Year bring us good fortune in all aspects of our lives, but especially from the directions that we least expect. Happy New Year, guys!"

Lydia and Stiles gently clink glasses and drink. After the music is turned back up, Stiles takes the glass from her hand and puts their glasses on the closest flat surface before taking her hand in his. "Come on," he says to her.

She lets him pull her through the crowd until they're standing on the balcony in the cold. A shiver runs down her spine as the wind blows against her, tousling her curled hair. Stiles shrugs out of his suit jacket before draping it over her shoulders and Lydia smiles in thanks.

They stand there in companionable silence for a few minutes before Lydia speaks. "I'm afraid," she whispers, half hoping that he hears her and half hoping that he doesn't.

Stiles frowns down at her in confusion and tugs her closer until she's leaning against him. "Of what?" he asks.

"Of everything changing again." Lydia tugs his jacket tighter around herself and presses her forehead to his shoulder so that he can't see her face. "Everything changed when I learned the truth about everything and later when Allison died. And then it changed again when we graduated and went off to college," she breathes just loud enough for him to hear. "I'm scared that things will change again once Scott and Kira get married."

His arms come up to wrap around her and Stiles pulls her away just enough to look her in the eye. "Lydia. That won't happen. I won't let it happen—I promise," he reassures her. "Besides, after that asshole Theo and the Dread Doctors, Scott won't let that happen. We were all separated once before, Lydia, and that proved to be a bad idea." Stiles hugs her to his chest and presses his cheek against her head.

"Things won't change when Kira and Scott get married," he promises.

Lydia nods against his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist, and they stay like that. She presses her nose against his neck and breathes his warm, earthy scent in, letting it calm her. Her eyes close and she fully melts into him as his hand rubs at her back in a soothing manner.

The last few minutes of the year tick by quickly and before they know it, they can hear the muffled sound of their friends shouting the countdown behind them.

 _Ten!_

 _Nine!_

 _Eight!_

 _Seven!_

 _Six!_

 _Five!_

 _Four!_

 _Three!_

 _Two!_

 _One!_

Stiles presses a kiss to her temple as the cheers erupt behind them as they ring in the New Year. "Happy New Year, Lydia," he says.

"Happy New Year, Stiles," she whispers back.

* * *

 **Happy New Year, guys!  
**

 **Reviews feed the muse and help me write just a little faster ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Thanks for all of the reviews, favorites, and follows! You don't now how much it means to me to know how much you guys love this story :)**

 **Here's a surprise POV that you may or may not see later on in the story. And Happy Teen Wolf Tuesday!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf.**

* * *

 **Can't Take My Eyes off You**

 **Chapter Five**

Stiles groans and pushes up into a sitting position on the couch. He scrubs tiredly at his face and yawns as he glances toward the kitchen. The glowing numbers on the stove tell him it's 3:56 AM and he's only slept for less than an hour.

Desperate housewives begging him to catch their husbands boning some girl half their age brought in the most money but the hours were killing him. Why couldn't these guys have their affairs at decent hours of the day so he could get his money shot instead of at one o'clock in the morning?

A second rough shake of his shoulder forces him out of his sleep stupor and he scrambles off the couch, ripping the sheets off his body, once he sees the look on Lydia's face.

"What?" he blurts out, hopping on one foot as he attempts to put his shoes back on while keeping his eyes on her. "What is it, Lydia? Is somebody dead? Do we need to go find a body?"

Lydia shakes her head, eyes startlingly focused. "No," she whispers softly, "It's something else."

Stiles nods once and follows close on her heels, snatching up the baseball bat Kira gave him from where it lies next to the couch. He grabs her keys from the hook by the door as they leave and presses them into her hand once they've made it to the parking garage. "Here, you drive."

She nods and they slide into her car, making a point to put their seatbelts on. After so many close calls over the years and once getting thrown out the windshield of his own jeep when a wendigo leapt into the road and rammed its body into the front end, he made a point of putting his seatbelt on even when there was an emergency and he was in a hurry.

Lydia fiddles with the radio, hearing something that he can't even though it's off, before pulling out of the garage. He splits his attention between watching her drive and the road. Seeing her now he can't imagine her being any less confident in her abilities than she is now. Stiles can still remember when she was so unsure and reluctant to let them guide her where she needed to be.

They drive for twenty minutes and the further and further they get from town, Stiles realizes where she's taking them.

"Why is it always the preserve these days?" he groans fighting a yawn.

He sees her roll her eyes without taking them from the road. "Would you prefer it was the high school?"

Lydia stops the car at the edge of the preserve right next to the sign. Just as he's about to ask her something she gets out and starts walking, forcing him to grab his bat and quickly scramble after her.

They walk in silence the entire time, Stiles hyper aware of the dangers of the Beacon Hills Preserve. Every miniscule sound he hears makes him flinch just a little, half expecting to see the ugly creature that mauled and drowned the poor man Lydia found the night she wandered out here jump out them. Lydia's oblivious to it all though, hearing what only she can, but she turns to look back to check on him every few minutes.

There's a soft look in her eyes that he doesn't think she's aware of and it makes him smile. She'd been doing that for a few months now, looking at him like that. It was there at Christmas, too, before and after their kiss. He'd thought he had caught glimpses of it toward the end of high school when they were teenagers but never like this. Lydia lit up in a way he'd never seen before and she didn't even realize it.

She abruptly stops, jarring him from his thoughts, and he glances around them. They're standing at the same place where he, Scott, and the rest of the pack had found Lydia a few weeks ago. The lake where the man she found lying face up rests a hundred feet in front of them, reflecting the moon's glow, and a cool shiver runs down his spine as he stares at it.

"Do you hear that?" she asks and he's about to tell her no, of course he can't hear it, but then he does.

It starts as a low hum before growing louder. The sound of a woman's voice singing echoes around them and the sound is both beautiful and haunting, drawing him in towards the lake. His feet carry him closer without his permission and he tries to tell them to stop. He can hear Lydia shouting his name, telling him to stop, and he wants to tell her that he can't.

That he isn't in control anymore.

And that he hates every second of it.

Stiles keeps walking towards the lake, fighting the entire way. He hears Lydia shout "No!" and then the next thing he knows he's face first in the dirt. She's straddling him, her body completely covering his, with her hands cupped over his ears. The singing is gone and the effect's immediate.

He relaxes into the hard ground and only has to wait a few minutes before Lydia removes her hands and the only things he can hear are the erratic pounding of his heart and their harsh breaths. "She's gone," she breathes over and over again, relaxing against him. "She's gone, she's gone, she's gone." Her arms snake around him to wrap around his shoulders and she hugs him the best she can from their awkward position.

"What the _hell_ was _that_?" he whispers, staring wide eyed at the lake in front of them.

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	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Happy Tuesday again, guys! Thanks for all of the support as usual, lovelies :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf**

* * *

 **Can't Take My Eyes off You**

 **Chapter Six**

The first thing that Lydia registers when she wakes is how warm she feels.

She burrows deeper into the heat and warmth that completely surrounds her, relishing how safe she feels. Something shifts against the small of her back and Lydia stills in surprise as she becomes aware of the not unpleasant weight draped over her waist. She blinks her eyes open and finds herself pressed against a chest, the familiar earthy scent and the laundry detergent she buys filling her nose. The arm draped around her waist tightens and Lydia's pressed more fully against Stiles' chest. He sighs softly in his sleep, his warm breath lightly ruffling her hair, and she hears a giggle from somewhere behind her.

"Oh, you guys look so cute," Kira coos softly.

Lydia gently shifts in Stiles' unrelenting grip on her until they're spooning on the sofa in Scott and Kira's apartment. She immediately spots the kitsune sitting on the edge of the glass coffee table facing them cradling a huge mug of steaming coffee in her hands. "Kira…" she warns, glaring up at her with no real heat in her gaze. "Is there any coffee left?" she asks after a moment, ignoring the smug look on Kira's face.

She nods, taking a sip from her mug. "Mhm. Made a pot first thing and I was just about to make breakfast. I suggest getting up while Scott's in the shower and Stiles is still asleep before there's nothing to eat," Kira tells her before standing and disappearing into the kitchen.

Heeding her words, Lydia gently takes hold of Stiles' wrist and pulls his arm from around his waist. She quickly stands without waking him before following Kira and immediately pouring herself a cup of coffee. The banshee leans back against the counter and watches as her friend moves about the small kitchen with ease, her mind wandering back to the early hours of the morning when she and Stiles had sprinted out of the preserve and sped to Scott and Kira's, all but pounding on their door once they had arrived. The unadulterated fear she had felt seeing Stiles being seduced by that…thing's singing and being forced to walk into the lake attempts to creep up on her again, but she firmly pushes it back down before it had the chance to strangle her again.

 _If only I hadn't brought him out there with me,_ she thinks as the guilt start bubbles to the surface. Not liking where this line of thought is going, Lydia pushes it away too with a firm shake of her head.

"So, you two looked cozy," Kira starts, obviously baiting her.

Desperate for something else to focus on, Lydia takes the bait. "Don't read too much into it, Kira. That was just two friends sleeping. Platonically," she adds.

Kira laughs as she flips the pancakes in the pan. "Have you given any thought to what I said to you?"

"Maybe you were right," she sighs, taking a long pull from her mug. "I think I always liked him, but I just…didn't want to admit it to myself." Lydia shakes her head to herself as she thinks back, moving to sit at the small kitchen table that has already been set for breakfast.

"What are you going to do?" Kira asks, sliding the pancakes onto a plate into a stack.

Lydia smooths her sleep-mussed hair back and shrugs. "I don't know," she tells her and she wishes that she did.

Kira grabs the syrup off the counter in one hand and the stack of pancakes in the other before setting both on the table. She sits and immediately captures Lydia's hand in her own with a gentle squeeze and a kind smile. "Well, whatever you decide to do, know that I'll support you." Lydia smiles gratefully, glad that she has her for a best friend.

The two women settle in to eat breakfast soon after, going over again what had happened in the preserve only a handful of hours ago. They attempt to narrow down their supernatural suspects based on what they know so far, which as basically nothing at this point, and Lydia had the distinct impression that she was going to have to go back out there again despite how unappealing the very idea of returning to the lake for a third time was.

The conversation had drifted and switched to the topic of the wedding and they are in the middle of discussing the type of dress Kira might like when Stiles stumbles into the kitchen. He hovers in the doorway, stretching his way through a yawn, before spotting them sitting at the table.

"Where's Scott?" he asks, moving to stand at Lydia's shoulder.

Kira pauses, tilting her head just slightly as she listens. "He's on the phone with Deaton telling him what happened," she says after a moment.

Stiles nods mutely, taking Lydia's fork from her fingers and eating the rest of the pancakes on her plate despite the stack of them sitting in the middle of the table. She frowns good-naturedly up at him and he only grins as he snatches up her coffee cup and drinking what's left. He slips his phone out of his jeans to check the time and swears, dropping the empty mug back on the table. "Shit. I've got to meet a client in, like, an hour and I've still got to go home and shower."

Lydia pulls her keys out of her jacket pocket and presses them into his free hand. "Here, take my car. Kira can drive me home later."

A soft smile pulls at his mouth as he searches her eyes. "Thanks, Lydia." But then his gaze turns serious and his eyes narrow as he stares at her, the corners of his mouth turning down in a frown. He bends at the waist so that he can look her fully in the eye and one large hand moves to cup the back of her neck, preventing her from looking anywhere but at him. Their faces are only inches apart and Lydia resists the urge to pull away, the intensity of his gaze almost too much for her to handle right now.

"What happened wasn't your fault," he tells her softly, the thumb of his hand gently sweeping the nape of her neck in a soothing manner. "I don't blame you and you shouldn't either. Okay?"

She mutely searches his amber eyes and all she can see is sincerity. "Okay," she whispers. He nods, hand moving down to her shoulder as he straightens again. Stiles squeezes her tight against his side in a hug and Lydia wraps her arm around his waist. She meets Kira's gaze only to see the kitsune grin.

Scott breezes into the room just then dressed in a button-down tucked into a pair of slacks, his white lab coat draped over one arm. "Morning," he greets them, immediately attacking the rest of the pancakes Kira made. "I'm going to head to the clinic early so Deaton and I can talk more about what we might be dealing with," he tells them in between harried bites of foods. "He says he might have an idea, but isn't sure yet. Maybe one of you can swing by later during my shift?" Scott looks between Lydia and Stiles questioningly.

They look at each other and at her shrug Stiles nods. "Yeah, I can come by after I meet with my client. I'll probably be of more use since, you know, whatever it was tried to take me."

Their alpha nods as he finishes eating. "Good."

While Scott and Kira kiss goodbye, Stiles hugs Lydia tight to his side again, watching her – always watching her – with his amber eyes. "I'll see you later, okay?" he murmurs softly and she nods.

Stiles and Scott leave soon after and Kira and Lydia clean up the remnants of their breakfast before calling the rest of the pack to let them know what had happened.

* * *

 **Reviews help feed the muse and give you more Stydia goodness :D**

 **Find me on Tumblr - angelqueen87**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: It's been awhile, I know, but I hope to finish this by the end of the summer now that the semester is over. Enjoy :)**

 **As always, this is crossposted on AO3 under the same title.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf.**

* * *

 **Can't Take My Eyes off You**

 **Chapter Seven**

It's just passed two-thirty when Lydia's phone goes off. She's sitting on the floor in Derek's loft surrounded by Internet printouts and several open books along with the Bestiary, scribbling notes in a notebook as she reads. Kira sits across from her with a book of her own in her lap while Derek and Mason stand over the table behind them, the older man patiently answering the younger one's predictable never-ending stream of obscure questions about the supernatural.

Without taking her eyes from the printout in her hand, Lydia gropes under the pile of papers next to her until she grasps her phone and absent-mindedly answers. "Hello?"

"Another body's been found."

His words register and she's immediately alert. "Where?" she asks, pushing the papers and books away as she stands. The tension in her voice alerts the others and she quickly scrambles to switch on the speakerphone.

"Isaac, Malia, and Liam found it about half a mile away from the lake," he answers, his voice echoing through the loft. "Male, late twenties – maybe early thirties – and, you guessed it, viciously mauled like that guy you found, Lydia. Looks like he was able to get away before the siren caught up to him."

A frown pulls at her mouth at the news as her mind races. "A siren?" she repeats, "Is that what it is?"

"Yeah," he says and Lydia can hear the crunch of the forest floor underneath his feet as he walked. "After I told Deaton what the singing sounded like and he took a look at the pictures of the body you found, he was pretty sure."

"What does Deaton think the siren wants?" Kira asks, shifting closer to Lydia. "This is only the second body to turn up…"

"But this isn't the second body to turn up, though," Stiles shoots back. "Dad went back and found a couple strange deaths and matched the wounds to the body from before Christmas. They were both male, in their twenties, and they were both mauled by the same claw marks down the chest, back, and throat. The only reason we didn't put it together sooner was because they were found in town, nowhere near the preserve. Deaton has a couple theories, but he isn't sharing until we find out more about these guys."

"Do you know if they were all in love?" Derek suddenly asks. "If they were, then that's why the siren's killing them. She was spurned and now she's killing men in love."

Lydia stares at him in horror. No, no that can't be true. If it was, then that meant…

The room starts to spin and she grips Kira's arm tight. She hears her worriedly call out her name but it's like a distant echo and all she can hear is Stiles' voice. "Yeah, I think they were. I know of the two found in town one was married and the other was in at least a serious relationship. And the guy Lydia found was engaged. Don't know about this one, though…"

Her vision starts to darken around the edges and everything starts to blur and the panic tries to eat at her. The phone slips from her hand to the floor with a clatter and she soon follows, Derek catching her around the waist before her head hit. Everything turns black and the last thing she remembers is saying Stiles' name.

* * *

For the second time that day she wakes to comforting warmth surrounding her. Lydia's eyes flutter open to find worried amber ones staring back at her. "Stiles," she breathes, relieved, quickly winding her arms around his neck. His arms snake around her back, one hand buried in her hair. She feels the trembling of his body in his embrace and she clutches him tighter.

"God, Lydia," he sighs, voice shaking. "You scared the shit out of me. I broke I don't know how many traffic laws to get here. I thought…" He trails off, unable to finish the thought, instead pulling back just enough to look her in the eye. "What the hell happened?"

Lydia shakes her head, unable to speak the words out loud. Saying it made it real and she wasn't ready for that yet. Saying it meant that his love for her almost killed him. She can't bring herself to tell him, not now, not yet, so she tells him something else.

"That body could have been you out there," she murmurs, "And I just got a little overwhelmed by the thought." It's not quite a lie and she can see in his whiskey eyes that he knows that she's holding back but doesn't know why.

For a moment she thinks he's going to press her for more, but Stiles just nods and pulls her close again. "I'm just glad you're okay," he says, pressing a kiss against her temple. They pull apart again and there's a sharpness to his gaze behind the concern, leaving no doubt in her mind that he's not going to let this go.

His hands move to her waist and he gently squeezes once, offering her a small smile. "Come on, let's go back downstairs." Lydia nods in agreement and she lets him pull her off the bed, curling an arm around his. They slowly make their way down the winding stairs of Derek's loft and the whole pack's there waiting.

All conversation drops to a standstill once they catch sight of them and Kira and Malia immediately launch themselves at Lydia the moment they reach the landing. They fuss over her until Stiles shoos them away. He guides her toward the empty seat beside Scott on the couch before perching on the arm beside her.

Concern colors Scott's face as he meets Lydia's eyes. "Are you okay?"

She smiles reassuringly and nods once. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just a little tired."

Scott takes her hand in his and squeezes gently once. "I'm glad. We were worried about you." He gives her a knowing look and she knows he knows what really happened, the real reason behind her collapse. His dark gaze shifts to Stiles behind her, giving nothing away. Resolve hardens in his eyes when his gaze shifts to where Stiles' hand rests on her shoulder, his thumb rubbing soothing circles against her skin.

The alpha leans forward and looks around at his pack. "This siren is killing innocent people for revenge and she needs to be stopped. Tonight."


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Thanks for all the reviews and new follows and favs, lovelies :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf.**

* * *

 **Can't Take My Eyes off You**

 **Chapter Eight**

"So, do either of you know how to stop a siren?" Malia asks as they make their way deeper into the Beacon Hills Preserve. "Because I don't and I'm pretty sure Scott doesn't either."

A shiver runs down Lydia's spine as the cold mid-February winds whip at her and she adjusts her scarf to better cover her face. "We'll find a way," she says, determined. "We always do."

Kira shivers beside her, pulling her hat down tight over her head. "I just hope we catch her fast so Deaton can take her to Eichen." Lydia nods in agreement. She might have her own reasons for wanting the siren caught, but the entire town would be better off with her locked away in the renovated supernatural wing of Eichen House where she would have around the clock supervision by competent professionals.

They keep a steady pace as they make their way to the siren's lake, alert of their surroundings but also cautious of what might come. The wind blows harshly, insistently tugging at their clothes and stinging their faces, and for half a second Lydia contemplates turning back and trying again the next night. But the thought is immediately shoved away when a long drawn out howl suddenly pierces the air.

The girls pause and Lydia turns just in time to see a slim, pale white figure sprint pass them, long dark hair flowing behind it. A vicious growl sounds a split second later and a black wolf tears after it, nearly knocking Malia to the ground. Lydia grabs her by the arm before she loses her balance, the were-coyote too busy yelling expletives at her cousin. A growl rumbles low in her throat, ice blue eyes glowing in the darkness, and Malia launches after them, Lydia and Kira struggling to catch up.

They break through the thick shrubbery and Lydia stops short. In contrast to the calm, still lake beside them, Derek in his lupine form and the siren tumble around on the forest floor in a mess of dark black fur and pale limbs, each one grappling for control. Malia circles them, claws out, waiting for her chance to strike while Kira stands to the side with her katana at the ready. A new set of growls alerts Lydia and she sees Scott, Isaac, and Liam skid into the clearing all from different directions. Stiles and Mason appear after a beat just as Derek sinks his fangs deep into the siren's flesh and tosses her into the lake.

She hits the water harshly before disappearing beneath the surface. All is still and a feeling of dread fills Lydia's stomach when nothing happens.

"That's all you've got, huh?" Stiles yells out, taunting the supernatural seductress. "We've faced worse than you, so if you think we're just going to turn back you've got another thing coming, lady!"

Lydia wants to scream at him to shut up, shut up, shut up. He's almost been one of her victims already and goading the siren isn't helping. The feeling of dread intensifies and Lydia can't shake it off.

Something's going to happen. She knows it will.

Almost as if on cue, the lake stirs and bubbles and Lydia watches in both fascination and horror as the siren rises from the water until she's almost standing on its surface. The siren is devastatingly beautiful, long dark hair plastered to her pretty elven face and slender naked body. A tense beat passes were here nobody can do anything but stare, waiting for her to make the first move.

The siren glowers at them and Lydia watches as she slowly begins to transform, talons growing at her fingertips and two rows of long, razor sharp teeth in her mouth and her beauty slipping away only to reveal her monstrous other side. A loud screech pierces the air and she launches out of the lake. Malia surges forward, claws out, and they engage in a deadly dance, Derek and Isaac moving to help her.

The siren's song fills the air and a shout catches Lydia's attention and her head whips around as she tries to figure out who it was through all the chaos.

"Scott!" Kira screams from beside her and she spots their alpha walking toward the lake, face devoid of emotion. Liam struggles against him, trying to stop Scott from drowning himself but ultimately failing. "Scott, stop! Scott!" Kira yells his name over and over, but Lydia's gaze shifts to behind the werewolves, to the other side of the lake, and she forgets about them.

Her vision narrows and the world is starting to spin just a little bit as her heart begins to pound in her chest. _No. No, this can't be happening. Not again,_ she thinks, frantic.

Stiles walks with steady, measured steps toward the lake, the same frighteningly blank expression on his face. Mason pulls uselessly at his arm, trying to stop him, but he's getting dragged with him.

"Stiles!" she shouts just as Malia and Isaac get tossed like rag dolls through the air by the siren, one hitting the lake and the other thrown into the preserve. A roar suddenly pierces the air, overshadowing the siren's song for just a moment, and Lydia sees Scott, fully transformed and himself. He and Liam and Kira move to help Derek but she's only got eyes for Stiles.

Mason's on top of him now, struggling to pin him to the ground, and Lydia can't stand to see him like that, completely at the mercy of the siren's song. Anger begins to simmer beneath the surface and she rips her scarf away from her face, the harsh bitter cold winds no longer bothering her.

The siren carelessly kicks Derek away from her, sending him into the preserve. Liam suffers the same fate a beat later as he's backhanded into the lake. Scott and Kira are left fighting, struggling to get the upper hand, and just looking at the siren makes Lydia want to scream.

So she does.

Lydia directs her wail at the seductress, forcing her backwards away from her friends. The siren stumbles, still singing her song, before rushing at her, completely forgetting the werewolf and the kitsune. She lets her get close, close enough for her to know the siren has sea green eyes, and Lydia screams, pushing it out with both hands. She screams again, letting all of her anger and frustration and fear out in the wail.

The siren lands in a heap beside the lake, unconscious and inhumanly beautiful again.

Lydia drops to her knees, tired, and lets the howling wind whip at her as she revels in the silence.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf**

* * *

 **Can't Take My Eyes off You**

 **Chapter Nine**

Stiles slowly blinks his eyes open against the soft, early morning rays of sunlight streaming in through the windows as he wakes. Everything is oddly still considering the night he'd had, but that's normal for him now after all these years.

A soft whimper sounds from near his shoulder and he becomes aware of the small body wrapped tightly around him. He turns his head slightly to look at Lydia. Her small, finely manicured hand is fisted around the fabric of his sweatshirt and there's a furrow between her eyebrows that tells him that whatever she's dreaming about isn't pleasant.

"No, no," she whimpers softly, her hand briefly tightening around his sweatshirt before relaxing.

He frowns and smooths the crinkle between her brows away with the tips of his fingers before pressing a chaste kiss on the top of her head. The memory of last night comes rushing back to him as he watches her and a chill runs down his spine. Being trapped under the siren's spell was horrifying and somehow worse the second time around as he had tried to desperately fight against her song. But thankfully Lydia had saved him again and stopped the seductress before it was too late. After that it's a little fuzzy. There's a flash of Mason helping him sit up, asking him a whole slew of questions that he doesn't remember, but everything after that is all Lydia. She never left his side, he realizes, and Stiles pulls her tighter against his body, pressing another kiss to her hair.

The movement causes Lydia to stir and she lets out the cutest sigh, causing the corner of his mouth to curve up into a small smile. Her eyelids flutter once before finally opening. Bright green eyes meet his and he offers her a smile. That look, the one he's seen so many times now, is there in her eyes again and it's brighter, more intense, than he's ever seen it before.

But at the same time, it's different.

A little sad, maybe a little frightful.

He frowns and cups her face, gently running his thumb beneath her eye. "Hey," he says softly, "what's wrong?"

A single tear falls at his words and he quickly wipes it away with the pad of his thumb before it can roll down her cheek. Lydia shuts her eyes, slightly turning her face into his palm. "I almost lost you again," she sobs and Stiles' heart breaks at the anguish in her voice.

He sits up and drags her with him, the white flowery sheets of her bed falling to their waists in a pool. "Lydia," he whispers, begging, as he fully cups her face in his hands. "Open your eyes for me, sweetheart. Please." When she shakes her head and doesn't, he gently rests his forehead against hers and patiently waits. A part of him wants to tell her that he loves her and promise that she'll never lose him, but he knows that's the absolute last thing she would want to hear right now. Especially since he'd never be able to keep that promise considering all of the terrible things that they face. She would never let him make that kind of promise in the first place anyway.

So he tells her something else instead.

"I'm not going anywhere, Lydia," he says softly, "And even if we get separated, I'll always find my way back to you. No matter what."

She sobs at his words and finally opens her eyes, reaching up to tightly grip at his wrists. "I know," she whispers. "I know that, Stiles, but this was different." She drags in a ragged breath and stares at him hard. "That siren, she… You love me so much that she wanted to kill you and she almost did. Twice. And if she'd gotten her hands on you and did to you what she'd done to the others, it would have been my fault that I'd lost you."

His heart breaks just a little bit more and tears of his own threaten to spill. He pulls her into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, and holds her close. "Lydia," he breathes, cupping the back of her neck so that she has nowhere else to look but at him. "Yes, I love you, Lydia, and yes, the siren wanted to kill me. But it's not your fault. It could _never_ be your fault that she tried to make me her next victim. It would be on her! She was the one killing all of those people, taking them away from their loved ones, and causing all that pain." The tears are falling freely down her face now, but she needs to hear this. She needs to understand that last night was in no way her fault, that she isn't the one to blame. "I certainly don't think any of this is your fault, Lydia, and you shouldn't either."

He watches her search his eyes for the sincerity and truthfulness that he knows she'll find and waits. "Okay," she whispers softly, green eyes piercing as she watches him back. "Okay," she repeats, finally relaxing in his lap and fully settling against his body. Stiles breathes a sigh of relief and hugs her, pressing a kiss against the crown of her head.

"Besides," he says after a beat, a smile spreading across his face, "you'd never let anything like that happen to me anyway. You'd come riding in like my knight in shining armor and me your helpless princess and you'd save me just like you did last night."

Just like he had intended, Lydia laughs happily against his chest. "Damn straight I would," she agrees. Lydia tips her head back to meet his gaze and Stiles is pleased to see that the fear and sadness in her eyes is gone, leaving only the look that she reserves for him behind. It's stronger and brighter than he'd ever seen it before and as they continue to stare into each other's eyes he slowly comes to a realization.

He's finally identified the emotion in her eyes after all these years. And so has she.

Only one thought comes to mind as he looks at her. "Beautiful," he breathes, amazed.

Lydia smiles bemusedly up at him, her cheeks a pretty shade of pink. "What?"

Stiles chuckles softly and shakes his head to himself. "Nothing," he says much louder before scooping her up into his arms and leaping out of bed. She shrieks with laughter, yelling "Stiles! Put me down!" as she clings to him, but he ignores her pleas with a laugh of his own. "Blueberry pancakes or french toast?" he asks instead as he walks them toward the kitchen.

She shoots him a look. "Pancakes, obviously."


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf.**

* * *

 **Can't Take My Eyes off You**

 **Chapter Ten**

Stiles spins Lydia away from him, sending her skirt swirling around her legs, before spinning her back. A laugh bubbles out of her when he does it again just to show off to Scott and Kira who are struggling to follow the simple steps. The dance instructor claps his hands happily at their little display before almost immediately sighing in exasperation at the bride and groom as they stumble clumsily through the steps again.

Ever since Kira and Scott set their wedding day for June, the planning and preparation for the ceremony has been in full swing for the past couple of months since the siren attack in February. Lydia and Stiles have been extremely involved in helping them sort out and coordinate for their big day since they decided to get married so soon. As maid of honor and best man, they've been elbow deep in helping the bride and groom with flowers, food tastings, dress and tux fittings, and many other things, including the dance lessons Kira insisted the wedding party should have for the reception. It's been hectic for the pack, but they've been enjoying helping their best friends prepare for their big day.

Stiles gives them a cheeky smile behind their teacher's back before guiding her across the dance floor. They move in sync to one another with very little effort, easily anticipating the other's next move. Laughter dances in his whiskey eyes and the wide smile on his face turns just a little mischievous and Lydia clings to him as they keep moving. "No," she laughs, gently hitting his chest, "I know that look. Don't – you'll just make them feel worse."

His lower lip briefly juts out in an adorable pout that she just wants to kiss away and he stares down at her with puppy eyes. "Aw, can't I dip you just once, Lydia?" he pleads, turning her twice underneath his raised arm before pulling her back to him again.

"No," she laughs again as he gently places her arms around neck and rests his hands on her waist. They gently sway side to side like they are dancing at prom in tempo with the soft music playing through the speakers. "I knew we should have just told them."

"Told who what?" a voice suddenly asks, sounding slightly winded.

Their little bubble broken, Stiles stops swaying them and Lydia leans against him, tucking her head beneath his chin as she turns to look at Malia and Derek beside them. They are standing in the traditional waltz stance looking a little tired. Malia is focused on her and Stiles but Derek stares intently at his cousin's foot placement. He gently nudges her feet back into place and Malia rolls her eyes in response.

"Can you stop doing that already?" she growls at him, annoyed.

Derek easily meets her exasperated glare with one of his own and Lydia immediately knows that this isn't the first time they've had this conversation. "If I do, one or both of us is going to step on the other's toes," he tells her with a slight bite to his words.

She huffs but lets him help her. "How come you two are so good at this already anyway?" Malia asks, turning her gaze back onto Lydia and Stiles. "This is only our second class."

Lydia looks up at him and they share a secretive little smile. He grins back at her and for a second she forgets where they are, unable to think past the feeling of his body pressed tightly against hers and the warm heavy weight of his hands on her back and hip as he holds her close. And not for the first time, her mind wanders to all the other places where he could put his hands and lips on her body. His whiskey eyes darken as they continue to stare at each other and a breathy sigh passes through her lips before she can stop it. The tip of his tongue peeks out to wet his bottom lip, drawing her gaze to his mouth and taunting her, and Lydia forces herself to look away, focusing on Malia and Derek again.

She steadily meets their gazes, daring the two suddenly smug cousins to comment on what just happened. "This isn't mine and Stiles' second class," she tells them finally when they thankfully don't say anything.

Malia's brow furrows in confusion. "What?"

"I signed me and Lydia up for dance lessons last summer as a joke," Stiles explains with a chuckle. "I thought for sure that she was going to yell at me for it and make me cancel."

"But I didn't and we ended up having fun," she returns as his hands find their way back to her waist and they start to slowly sway to the music again, "That and now we know how to properly ballroom dance."

"Do Scott and Kira know?" Derek asks, nodding toward them.

Lydia glances over Stiles shoulder at the couple and shakes her head once as she watches them. They're listening intently to whatever their teacher is saying before attempting to do the simple box-step again without stepping on the other's toes again. "No," she says, turning back to look up at the werewolf. "Kira wanted something for the entire wedding party to all participate in together other than the wedding itself and Scott suggested dance lessons. Kira was so excited when she told me and I didn't have the heart to tell her Stiles and I already knew how to."

"And because we didn't tell them, Lydia's making me hold back all the fancy moves we know," he moans, shooting her a teasing grin.

She threads her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck and gently tugs in retaliation. "I'm not _making_ you do anything," she returns with a smile of her own. "I just made a suggestion and you agreed with it."

"Crap, he's looking over here again," Malia swears suddenly, looking at something past Stiles and Lydia. She turns to face Derek again, readjusting her grip on his hand. "Come on," she says, practically dragging him away to another part of the room to stand amongst the other couples.

Their dance teacher suddenly appears beside them and showers them in praise. "You two have really gotten the hang of this," he tells them with a pleased smile. "Keep up the good work!" He shoots them an excited thumbs up and a wink before moving on to observe another couple's footwork.

Stiles takes her hand in his and spins her around the room. "We'll tell them tonight," he says as they begin to slow dance again. She nods in agreement and when he spins her next, she lets him end it in a dip.

* * *

 **Only 3 more chapters after this. Hopefully it won't take me another year to update this. I'd love to know you guys' thoughts on this chapters!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf.**

* * *

 **Can't Take My Eyes off You**

 **Chapter Eleven**

"So, you guys are dating now, right?" Malia asks later as she drives Lydia and Kira to her apartment after their dance lessons for a girls' night.

Lydia's face reddens at her question and she shakes her head. "What? No," she denies. "Stiles and I aren't dating."

They stop at a red light and Malia turns to shoot her a disbelieving look. "Are you sure, Lydia?" she prods. "You looked pretty couple-y tonight."

Kira peeks her head in between them and stares at Malia with wide eyes. "What happened tonight?" she demands excitedly. "What'd they do now?"

"Nothing happened," Lydia says before Malia can respond. "We didn't do anything tonight just like we didn't do anything any of those other times."

"They were basically eye-fucking each other again in front of me and Derek earlier," Malia tells her with an eye roll and a smirk, completely ignoring Lydia. "For half a second I thought they were going to start making out in front of us."

Kira squeals with excitement and awkwardly hugs Lydia the best she can around the front seat. "Again? And I missed it?" She suddenly groans in disappointment and sighs. "I wish you would just tell him already, Lydia. I bet you'd be even happier than you are now once you tell him. You know he'll never make a move until you tell him how you feel."

The light mercifully turns green, forcing Kira back in her seat before she can say anything else, and Malia continues down the road. Lydia leans her head on the cool glass of the window and she watches as the buildings of downtown Beacon Hills passes by in a blur. She knows Kira is right, but every time she attempts to tell Stiles how she feels she hesitates and says something else instead. Afterwards, she always tells herself that she will tell him next time. But when next time comes, she does the same thing and the cycle repeats itself.

"I'm scared," she whispers. She feels her friends' eyes on her skin and a part of her wants to turn away from their scrutiny.

"Of what?" Malia asks carefully.

Lydia looks down at her hands, anxiously turning the ring on her finger around the digit over and over again. "Of losing my best friend," she admits softly. It's the first time she has said the words aloud and she feels like a weight has been lifted from her shoulders after finally confessing her greatest fear aloud for the first time. "He's my best friend and I don't want to somehow ruin our friendship and lose him that way. It would break me."

The car pulls to a stop along the curb outside Malia's apartment building and Lydia slowly turns to look at her friends. Kira is staring at her with a sympathetic look in her eyes that she immediately hates, while Malia frowns at her confusion.

"But that won't happen," she says like it's the most obvious thing in the world. "Stiles would literally do anything to make sure that wouldn't happen, Lydia. The absolute last thing he would ever do is hurt you. He loves you just as much as you love him." She suddenly leans in toward Lydia and deliberately sniffs her. "If him moving in with you – and you guys sleeping in the same bed every night – hasn't hurt your relationship, I don't know what will."

Lydia meets her friend's gaze and searches her dark eyes. She only finds sincerity and warmth there and it's reassuring. Malia wasn't one to mince her words or say things she didn't mean. It's one of the things Lydia loves best about the were-coyote.

"Thanks, Malia," she says with a small smile.

She frowns in confusion, her brow furrowed. "For what?"

"For being yourself," Lydia tells her.

Malia stares at her through narrowed eyes before nodding once. "I don't get it, but okay." She nods again to herself before placing a hand on Lydia's shoulder. "You should know, you two are basically already a couple and honestly you've been acting like you've been married for years now," she tells her, expression serious. "Sometimes I forget you're not together, but then one of you does something stupid and I'm reminded again."

She pats her shoulder twice before saying, "When the time's right, though, you'll tell him." And with that Malia got out of the car, leaving Lydia speechless.

After a few minutes of silence, Kira leans forward so that she can look Lydia in the eye. "She's right. We're not pushing you to do anything you're not ready to. But we just want to see you happy, Lydia," she says, gently squeezing her hand.

Lydia smiles softly at her friend and nods. "I know," she murmurs.

They get out of the car and make their way over to where Malia's waiting for them. It's not until the three ladies are in the elevator that Kira suddenly gasps, reaching out to grasp Lydia's hand.

Lydia stares at her worriedly while Malia looks on curiously. "I just remembered!" Kira gasps, wide eyed and excitedly curious. "Do you and Stiles really sleep in the same bed like Malia said?"

Heat floods her cheeks and she fidgets under the kitsune's gaze. "Yes," she mumbles under her breath. She had been hoping that they'd forgotten Malia's earlier observation. "We do now. Since the siren incident," she admits grudgingly.

Malia rolls her eyes with a good-natured smile. "I know," is all she says as the elevator opens on her floor.

Kira on the other hand wraps Lydia in a tight hug. "Oh, you two," she coos as they step out and Lydia's silently relieved that they're not freaked out about it.


End file.
